John's Return

Carol sat thinking about John, her late husband. After they got married, he made her promise that if he went away, she would put a light in the attic window, and he would find his way home. They were married for ten years, when Carol met another man, and had begun seeing him.

Finally, John was found dead in the house. Carol went to visit the 'other man', but he had not been home. She stayed at his house, waiting for him. She found out about her husband, when she had seen the police cars. She asked them what had happened. They told her that someone had broken in on him and had hit him over the head, killing him. They were surprized by the widow's reaction to the news. There was no emotion.

Carol had seen to John's funeral. It was the only thing a good wife could do. After he was buried, she re-decorated the house to suit her. She wiped away any sign that John had lived there. As she fixed up the house, she smiled. She would now be able to have the man come to the house.

One afternoon, she went to the store. When she returned home, she looked up at the attic window. Her eyes grew wide, when she saw the light in the attic was on. She could not understand it. She did not go to the attic since John's death. She wondered who turned the attic light on.

Her eyes grew wide with terror. She remembered the promise she made to John after their wedding. She hurried to the attic and turned off the light. She was on her way back down the steps, when something attracted her attention. She turned and saw that the light was back on.

Carol hurried down the attic steps. She figured if she could reach the boyfriend, he would drive over, pick her up and take her somewhere else. She snatched up the receiver and called him. There was no answer. She angrily slammed the receiver down. Taking a deep breath, she picked it back up and dialed again. It rang, but there was no answer.

She dropped it, ran outside and looked up at the attic window. The light was still on. She thought there was a short in the switch. She would call someone to fix it. She wondered why her boyfriend was avoiding her. She went back inside. She had just shut the door, when she heard a knock. She opened it, thinking it was her boyfriend. .it was John.

The color drained from Carol's face. She wondered how John returned. She knew that he was buried. She hurried into the house and to the telephone. She picked up the receiver and called her boyfriend. She waited for him to answer, but he never did. She heard laughter coming from behind her. When she turned, she saw John standing behind her.

"He cannot help you, Carol."

"What are you talking about?"

"I killed him before I came here,' he paused, 'Do you remember the promise you made me after we were married?"

Carol shook her head.

"I told you that I would always find my way home, if you left a light on in the attic."

Approximately 450 words.